GUI Scripting with Tcl/Tk

Tcl/Tk may not look very modern, but it has handy features such as variables that automatically take on the value of a widget. Tcl/Tk remains the tool of choice for many script writers.

Conclusion

Tcl/Tk is the oldest of the GUI-enabled scripting
languages in common use today, but it doesn't
enjoy the monopoly position it used to have. Python,
coupled with GTK or Qt, now provides a more
contemporary solution to many of the problems
for which Tcl/Tk used to be the natural choice. Both
Tcl/Tk and Visual Tcl have some ground to make up
in terms of looks, features and desktop
integration.
Yet, the simplicity of application development
offered by the mature and superbly integrated
combination of the Tcl language and the Tk toolkit
still is second to none. If you have a simple
scripting task that would benefit from a GUI,
where speed and cost of development are important,
Tcl/Tk still should be near the top of the
list of contenders for the job.

Derek Fountain is a freelance software developer, specializing in UNIX and
Linux. He strongly believes in the adage of “make it as simple as possible,
but no simpler”. That's why he deploys scripting solutions wherever
possible. He lives in Perth, Western Australia.

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